Nik Kershaw joins the Missing People Choir and music stars from across the decades to help reach missing children

The Missing People choir, which is made up of families with missing loved ones have joined forces with music stars from across the decades including Rick Astley, Chesney Hawkes, Nik Kershaw, Carol Decker, Lesley Garrett, Hayley Tamaddon, Jodie Prenger, Debra Stephenson, Kerry Ellis, Balsamo Deighton and G4 on a charity single which they are hoping the public will get behind to help reach every missing child.

The original song, ‘I Hope’ was inspired by the words of Kevin Gosden whose son Andrew went missing at the age of 14 in 2007 and highlights the heartbreak facing families with missing loved ones, and the often agonising hope of seeing them again.

The single’s release has been made possible thanks to the ongoing support of Royal Mail. The company has been working with Missing People since November 2014 when it began distributing “high risk” missing people alerts – including Child Rescue Alerts – to its 123,000 postmen and women across the UK through their handheld scanners. The Missing People Choir’s performance in the music video was filmed at Royal Mail’s Mount Pleasant Mail Centre, where they were joined by the company’s own Mail Voice Choir.

Nik was only too delighted to get involved. “I was contacted by my old friend Ash Alexander (assistant engineer on “the One and only”). He was helping to put the project together. Shamefully, up to this point I was unaware of the amazing work carried out by “missing people”. A great song for a very worthy cause. I didn’t need to be asked twice.”

‘I Hope’ is available for pre-order now in iTunes, and will be released on Friday 20 May 2016 ahead of International Missing Children’s Day (25 May) with profits going to the charity Missing People’s ‘Find Every Child’ campaign. An average of 140,000 children go missing in the UK every year and the campaign is aiming to be able to reach every one of them.

Missing People search for missing people on behalf of the friends and family left behind and provide specialised support to ease their heartache and confusion. Their free, confidential helpline is available 24 hours a day by phone, text and email to support missing children and adults, and their loved ones.